A Little Lagniappe

FO: Wicked

2008-12-28T10:38:00.000-06:00

Pattern: Wicked from Zephyr Style
Yarn: Dream in Color Classy, Visual Purple
Mods: I skipped the seed stitch and repeated the cable pattern for the hem. I also left off the pocket.

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! I finished this sweater about 2 weeks ago, but with the holiday and traveling, I'm just getting around to blogging about it. This was a pretty quick and enjoyable knit for me. Easy to follow pattern and easy to modify. I'm pretty happy with it and will probably knit another one at some point, maybe in cotton for warmer months.

Cowl is the new scarf

2008-12-15T16:26:00.002-06:00

Yeah, I know I'm late to the party, but I'm having a cowl obsession. I've knit 3 in the past few weeks:

Alpaca cowl in Blue Sky Alpaca Bulky

Gloria Cowl in Noro Silk Garden

Birthday Cowl in Malabrigo

I knit each of these in less that a day! Cowls are great for leftover single skeins and fill that need for a quick finished project. I knit these with the intention of giving them away as Christmas gifts, but now I want to keep them for myself. Luckily I have more waiting in my Ravelry queue!

No rest for the wicked

2008-11-30T09:33:00.001-06:00

Wow, it's been nearly 6 months since I've updated my blog. Life has been really busy...moving, starting a new job, traveling. I put down my knitting for a while, but thankfully I've rediscovered my knitting mojo. My main obsession right now is Wicked. I wanted to knit a cute, flattering, quick sweater. I spent hours on ravelry searching for the perfect pattern, then the perfect yarn, then the perfect colorway. I decided the short sleeved, worsted weight version of Wicked in Dream in Color Classy.

The colorway is Visual Purple. It's so delicious.

I was knitting along smoothly making great progress. I had great plans to work on it diligently during the 3 hour driving trip to my aunt's house for Thanksgiving. I thought I'd probably be all done with it by the end of the weekend. As I was separating the sleeves from the body I realized that I had forgotten to place a stitch marker and only had 1 sleeve. Yeah, that's right, I was knitting a sweater with 1 sleeve. The boyfriend cracked up over that one. So, I frogged, re-knit from the collar and now am on to the body of the sweater. The rainy, gloomy weather we're having this weekend has been the perfect excuse for knitting and movie watching. I'll have a finished sweater in no time!

All the cool kids are doing it

2008-06-16T13:55:00.002-05:00

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

1. Larkspur Farm, 2. Thai red curry., 3. Peach blossoms#03 hwy49s@ Marshallville,Ga.(3-31-08), 4. When I'm sleeping, I slow down my breathing...Living in dreams, dreams that come true...thinking of the color blue... ZZZzzzzzz..., 5. Denzel Washington smiles more, 6. first juleps of the season, 7. Oia - Santorini, 8. Gelato, 9. The Earth is God's Canvas., 10. Family Portrait, 11. Blessings at Sunrise, 12. the family vehicle

Here's what to do if you want to play along:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name. (kid version: favorite animal?)

FO: Hourglass Sweater

2008-05-10T06:28:00.003-05:00

Pattern: Hourglass sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson
Yarn: Malabrigo merino worsted in Pagoda
Needles: Knitpicks Options size 7
Started: November 2007 Completed: April 2008

This is my first sweater and a really enjoyable knit for me. I loved the zen of knitting stockinette in the round. I only made a few modifications to this sweater. I added a little extra length to the torso and in hindsight probably could have added a little bit more. I added a few extra increases at the bust and some extra rows of decreases at the yoke to not have the flashdance effect everyone complained about. I absolutely love this yarn! It's so soft and cozy. I'm sure I'll get lots of wear out of this when the temperature drops.

I Dream of Africa part III

2008-04-30T21:15:00.001-05:00

Cape Town was so stunningly beautiful, it's hard to put it into words. Thank goodness I bought a new camera before my trip and took hundreds of pictures. My pictures still don't do it justice, but they come close...

Bo-Kaap (Cape Malay)

Hout Bay

View of Hout Bay from Chapman's Peak

Lighthouse at Cape Point

Mandela's Gold
(A Bird of Paradise bred in honor of Nelson Mandela)

I also took lots of pictures of all the interesting animals we encountered during our stay...

1. Nice Kitty, 2. Lion, 3. Guinea fowl, 4. Simon's Town Penguin Colony, 5. Ostrich, 6. Duiker Island, 7. Giraffes, 8. Rainbow over the reserve, 9. Elephants, 10. Rhino, 11. Baboons, 12. Springbok

And just a short drive from Cape Town was the beautiful winelands. We spent most of our time in the Stellenbosch region, a quaint town with old Dutch architecture, sprawling vineyards, and hundreds of wine estates.

This was an amazing trip! South Africa has so much to offer...beaches, mountains, history/culture, cool wildlife, beautiful flora and great vino. I can't wait to visit again!

I Dream of Africa part II

2008-04-29T21:30:00.001-05:00

South Africa is a beautiful, vibrant country that has struggled to overcome the dark history of apartheid. In planning my trip, I struggled with whether or not to take a tour of the townships. While township touring is very common and generate revenue for the people who live there, I didn't want to be a voyeur. I was reminded of the mixed feelings I had towards motorcoach tours through the devastated Ninth Ward of post-Katrina New Orleans. In the end I decided to go with a small black owned tour company with roots in the community for a more authentic, less invasive experience and deeper understanding of township life.

We began with a trip to the townships of Khayelistsha and Langa which sit in the Cape Flats, an area just outside the city center near the airport. From the outside the townships appear to be miles of tin shacks and poverty. Surprisingly, amidst the tin shanties were some modest brick homes and expensive cars; not all township residents live in extreme poverty. While many residents are poor, the townships are such vibrant communities with schools, churches, and businesses. We visited a local church and community center and a bed and breakfast where economic empowerment and education are encouraged. We drank homemade "beer" with some locals and played games with the children.

We also spent some time at the District Six Museum, a museum devoted to a once thriving multicultural area of Cape Town whose black and colored residents were forced out of their homes by the government into the townships. Family pictures, letters, street signs, and documents serve as a remembrance to the era of apartheid and to the people and cultures who lived in the area.

Overall I'm glad I chose to visit to the townships. I did at times feel somewhat like a voyeuristic tourist, but in the end it was an informative, interactive and socially conscious morning. After our morning in the township we boarded the ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. Today, the prison is no longer in use; instead it's a museum dedicated to the struggle for freedom. Some of the tour guides are former prisoners; some former guards. Our tour was given by an ex-political prisoner who was charged with treason and terrorism for opposing apartheid. He explained to us what life was like in the prison, where segregation and the rules of apartheid reached beyond the prison walls. We toured the grounds before visiting Mandela's cell.

At the end of the tour, he moved me to tears as he described his supreme respect for Mandela, his love of South Africa and his ultimate forgiveness of the government and the very guards who persecuted him. A moving experience and one of the highlights of my trip!

I Dream of Africa

2008-04-21T14:57:00.021-05:00

I'm back from my whirlwind trip to South Africa. I had a fabulous time and enjoyed every minute of my brief time there. South Africa is such an amazing and diverse country and Cape Town is a beautiful city. We stayed in a condo in Camps Bay, an affluent suburb of Cape Town right on the beach. The early fall weather and cold ocean water kept us from spending a lot of time at beach, but we couldn't stay completely away; it was right outside our door! The views of the ocean and the mountains were amazing. We spent several evenings walking along the beach and watching the sun set over the African sky.

The backdrop to Camps Bay is Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles mountain range. The flat-topped Table mountain is a prominent landmark for Cape Town and I took pictures of it from just about every view point!

We spent one morning actually hiking the mountain. Although we took the "easiest" trail up, it was still a challenge (at least for me!), but reaching the top was worth it. We walked along the trails at the top taking in the fynbos and the spectacular views from the top.

After a morning of hiking we treated ourselves to high tea the Mount Nelson Hotel which sits on the slopes of Table Mountain. Voted "Best Tea in the World" it's grand and luxurious with an informal dress code.

We sat in the lush gardens of the hotel sipping tea and eating the buffet spread of scrumptious petit fours, cucumber sandwiches, eclairs, quiche, and cakes.

We even took in a beautiful afternoon wedding in the gardens. It was a fun, relaxing afternoon and much deserved after our hike.

More to come!

Leaving on a jet plane

2008-03-31T07:37:00.005-05:00

Long time, no blog! The past couple of months I've been busy with work and preparing for my upcoming vacation. I'm leaving this week for an amazing trip in Cape Town, South Africa. I'm traveling with 2 friends and we'll be there for a little over a week. My friends will go on to Kruger Park for a safari and I'll head back to the states. I basically had to choose between a safari and taking my board certification exam in August, which may give you an idea as to how expensive the exam is!

I'm so excited and a little nervous about this trip. This will be the first transatlantic flight I've taken by myself. My friends and I are traveling separately and arriving at different times. I arrive first and spend my first night in Cape Town all alone. I'll get a small taste of solo travel. I'm doing my best to prepare for long flights without a travel companion. I've downloded a couple of audiobooks and some new music onto my ipod and picked some good reads to take with me. I'm just trying to decide on the perfect knitting project to pack. Socks just seems like the most portable project so I'll definitely be taking my Jaywalkers with me. A good stockinette project like a shawl seems appropriate. I'll gotta dig through my stash to find the right project to cast on before I take off.

I'm looking forward to great photos and stories to share when I get back. Ciao!

Think Pink Swap

2008-02-16T09:00:00.004-06:00

I'm a member of the Think Pink group on Ravelry, a group dedicated to all things pink. This past week I received a great package in the mail from my swap pal in the first ever Think Pink Swap. My pal Lillian was so thoughtful!

First, some gorgeous Manos de Uruguay yarn in a lovely shade of pink. Isn't it yummy? I'm thinking it'll make a great pink scarf. Next, 2 patterns from Stitch diva, a DPN case, and a cute little notebook. Finally she included some great gifts from her visits to Japan: a cool leather bookmark, pretty Japanese stationary and some delicious chocolates with pralines and macadamia nuts!

Thanks so much Lillian, aka Craftlover!

Mardi Gras 2008!

2008-02-11T10:44:00.000-06:00

1. St. Augustine Marching Band, 2. Endymion Torch Carriers, 3. Endymion Queens, 4. Endymion Parade 2008, 5. Zulu King, 6. Doobie Brothers & GoGo's, 7. Masked Riders, 8. Throw Me Something, Mister!, 9. Endymion Mask, 10. Zulu Parade 2008, 11. Zulu Coconut!, 12. Tall Men, 13. Zulu Parade, 14. Endymion Grand Marshall Kevin Costner, 15. Marching Band, 16. Endymion Royalty

This year's Mardi Gras celebration was a blast! Parades, balls, parties, king cakes, and tons of beads; it really wore me out! I've finally recovered and have a chance to share. I decided to give up television for Lent since my TV is always on and a huge distraction for me. That gives me more time for reading, audiobooks, studying for board exams and of course knitting! More updates to come!

Krewe de Vieux

2008-01-22T17:30:00.000-06:00

One of the first parades of the Carnival season, Krewe de Vieux, rolled this weekend. This is one my favorite parades and a definite must see. The only parade to roll through the streets of the French Quarter, Krewe de Vieux is one of the wildest and features lots of political satire and adult themes. There are small floats and lots of costumed marchers who throw beads, paint you with glitter and dance in the streets. It also features some of the best brass bands in the city. My family was in town for the weekend and had the chance to see the parade. We initially were at the beginning of the parade route and watched the entire parade. After catching tons of beads and throws my family insisted we walk near the end of the parade route and see the whole thing again! They had a blast! Here are a few pics I was able to capture in between dancing, catching beads, and throwing back drinks!

These are the mild pictures; I just can't bring myself to post the pictures of floats with genitalia and such.

Being that Krewe De Vieux is one of the earliest parades, it's also often a cold and sometimes rainy parade. This year since Mardi Gras is so early and that weird arctic freeze thing is passing through the South, Saturday was miserably cold and wet. I decided to knit up a scarf to keep me cozy and warm while parade watching and playing tour guide for my family.

Pattern: Uptown Scarf from Weekend Knitting
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky
Needles: size 35!
Started/Finished: January 2008

Given that this pattern calls for bulky yarn and huge size 35 needles, I was able to complete this project in less than an hour. It's a great quick project and a wonderfully warm and soft yarn. The scarf is also super long and able to be wrapped around my neck several times making it extra cozy. The perfect weekend project!

2007 A Knitting Retrospective

2007-12-31T10:42:00.000-06:00

This year hasn't been the most productive for me as far as knitting goes. I put my needles down for a while this spring and didn't pick them up again for several months. Although I only have a few small finished objects for the year, KnitLit's Best of 2007 meme still seems like a good idea to review my year in knitting and think about what next year will bring.

1. Your best FO of the year

My Garter rib socks are probably my personal best of the year.

My first pair of socks ever and I love them. I'm pretty proud of myself for finishing them even though it took me about a year. They turned out really well and I've already cast on my second pair of socks.

2. best FO of the year made by a blog you link to
This is pretty tough since there are so many great bloggers out there with fabulous projects. Lolly's Aftur pullover is beautiful and I'm so amazed that she knit the entire thing in a month! Jenna's Front and Back cable sweater is another one that blew me away. Gorgeous!

3. best yarn you tried

I tried Malabrigo for the first time this year and love it. Warm and incredibly soft with gorgeous hand dyed colors, it's easy to understand why most knitters are crazy for malabrigo. While pure wool isn't necessarily the best fiber for the deep South, this stuff is so hard to resist.

4. best new book/mag/pattern of 2007

Another tough one. I think Interweave Knits is hands down the best knitting magazine out there. I have several patterns in queue that I may never get to and I'm usually pretty inspired by the magazine in general. As for books, my 2 favorites this year are Sensual Knits (see my review in my last entry) and The Knitter's Book of Yarn, a fabulous resource that I'm currently reading.

5. best new knitting technique or gadget you tried in 2007

I'd have to say magic loop. DPNs in my hands seem like a disaster waiting to happen. Magic loop was how I knit my first pair of socks and now I'm using the technique for knitting the sleeves of my first sweater.

6. top 5 inspirations--what five things inspired you the most over the past year?
Do I have to even say it? Ravelry, ravelry, ravelry oh and ravelry. This site was my inspiration for picking up my needles again. I've also been greatly inspired by some of my favorite bloggers out there.

7. designer who most amazed & inspired you throughout the year
I really love Kim Hargreaves. Her patterns are classic and elegant with a touch of style. I have a few of her pattern in my queue and can't wait to get started on them.

8. knitting resolutions for 2008--what's next for you and your blog?
In 2008 I want to knit more. I want to become a more productive knitter, while really enjoying the projects I'm working on. I want to try more colorwork techniques like fairisle and knit more garments to wear. I think I also want to share my knitting more with others. I'v never really knit for others, afraid they won't appreciate the time and care I put into it. This year I'd like to knit more gifts and am already thinking about Christmas 2008. As for my blog, I plan to update more and include more of my general life. I have some exciting things coming up in 2008 and definitely plan to include them on my blog! Happy New Year!

Book Review: Sensual Knits

2007-12-15T13:33:00.000-06:00

I pre-ordered Sensual Knits a while back and have been anxiously awaiting it's arrival. I normally don't preorder knitting books; I usually have to flip through them in person and decide that there are enough patterns in it that I would actually have the skills to make and would want to take the time to knit. The gorgeous red jacket featured on the cover plus the allure of luxurious yarn made me throw caution to the wind, order the book, and pray that I would like more than just the cover project.

Sensual Knits really delivers and I'm excited about it. Compiled by Yahaira Ferreira, owner of Pure Knits, the book includes 25 designs that are absolutely gorgeous. The focus is on luxurious yarns and patterns that compliment them. It features wonderful, plush natural fibers such as alpaca, bamboo, merino, silk and cashmere. The book includes designs by some awesome designers in the blogging community such as Brooklyn Tweed, Saunshine, Olgajazzy, (who designed the chic Balloon Sleeved Jacket on the cover), Misocrafty and Tres Chic Veronique. Each pattern includes a brief bio of the designer and their web address.

The patterns are sized S/M/L (some including XXS to 3X) and include actual and finished measurements. Instructions are clear and don't appear to be too complicated; shematics are also included with each pattern. These designs are classic, feminine, and stylish. It's rare to pick up a knitting book and like every project, but I can honestly say I like EVERY project. I mean it, all 25 designs. It's really hard to pick favorites, but here's a sample of some of my favorites at the moment:

Pink Sundae

Joie de vivre Cardigan

Cleopatra Wrap

Arris Beaded Dress

Multiplicity

Seeded Cables Cardigan

Yahaira also included a section on luxury fibers and how to care for them, a techniques section (includes magic loop, three needle bind off and the turkish cast on), and a yarn resource section where the fabulous yarns featured in the book can be purchased. I'm really impressed by the book and the designs; it's definitely a keeper and a steal for the price. If Sensual Knits isn't on your Christmas list you definitely should add it!

[Insert witty title here]

2007-12-03T16:01:00.000-06:00

Wow, I can't believe it's December already! Where has the time gone? Weather wise, it's finally starting to get cold...well cold for New Orleans. A visitor from Chicago I met a few days ago thought it was pretty humid here for December. Guess she's never been to the deep South in August. I'm happy to see the "cold weather" and have pulled out some handmade scarves to wear.

The weather has also inspired me to knit a sweater. I cast on for the Hourglass sweater last month for NaKniSweMo. I was sure I could complete this sweater in a month. But, I changed my mind about this project a good 10 million times. There were so many things I didn't like: I loved the yarn that I initially chose (Elsebeth Lavold silky wool), but didn't like the way it knit up. I couldn't get gauge. I didn't like working with the needles I cast on with and on and on. One day while browsing in the Quarter, I wandered into a LYS, the Quarter Stitch and fell head over heels for some luscious Malabrigo in pagoda.

I know it's crazy to knit a pure wool sweater when I live in New Orleans, but the softness of the yarn and the absolutely gorgeous color drew me in. I'm loving the way this is knitting up and I absolutely love working on it.

So, I didn't meet my NaKniSweMo deadline, but now I've got a project I'm really enjoying. I'm hoping to have it done in time to wear for Christmas.

I've also cast on my second pair of socks:

Jaywalkers in Socks That Rock colorway Lapis. Love the various shades of blue, green and purple. I'm making pretty fast progress (well, fast for me!) and will be turning the heel soon.

And, I'm also still working on Flair. Right now I'm on the sleeves and still have to add the collar. I love this cardigan and can't wait to wear it, but the sleeves are taking me FOREVER! I'm not sure why since they're knit in the round and not complicated at all. But for whatever reason, I still keep putting it down. Guess I'm too distracted by my other projects. I'm vowing to get Flair done and off my needles!

A year in the making

2007-11-07T09:47:00.000-06:00

Finally! My first pair of socks are done!

Pattern: Garter Rib Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn: Koigu PPM
Needles: size 2 circulars
Date started: November 2006
Date completed November 2007

I started these socks during Socktoberfest 2006, frogged them and restarted them in November 2006. They have a few errors, mainly in the heel and gusset, but still came together nicely. I ended up working on these socks for one whole year and you know what? I enjoyed it. I initially didn't get the fascination that knitters had with socks. All that time to knit something you put on your feet? But I think I've fallen in love with sock knitting. They're small and portable, perfect for airplanes, long lines, or quiet call nights. And there are so many interesting patterns available, they're not boring. And the yarn! So many amazing sock yarns that I'm dying to try.

I have several sock patterns in my queue on Ravelry. In fact, I've already planned my next pair; the requisite Jaywalkers in some awesome Socks that Rock mediumweight. One of the reasons these socks took me so long to knit is because after I finished the first one, I just didn't want to knit the exact same thing all over again. So to prevent another case of second sock syndrome, I'm planning to do my next pair of socks 2 at a time on 1 circular. I'll be casting on soon; can't wait to get more socks on my needles!

NaKniSweMo

2007-11-05T07:19:00.000-06:00

NaKniSweMo (National Knit A Sweater in the Month of November) has officially begun and this year, thanks to the group at Ravelry, I've decided to join in the challenge. Yesterday I cast on the Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I love that it's knit in the round; it's a great knitting group or movie watching pattern. I started a few days late, but that's because I obsessed over my gauge. While the pattern calls for a worsted weight yarn, I'm using Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in a pretty periwinkle shade. I love the color and the texture of the yarn and wanted a light pullover wearable in fall, winter or spring. I'm so nervous about sizing and fit given my gauge, but I think it will come out alright. Wish me luck!

Holy Knit One, Purl Two, Batman!

2007-10-06T12:50:00.000-05:00

I know it's cheesy, but I love this old Batman clip. Razor sharp knitting needles as a weapon? Seriously, don't mess with knitters!

I'm back to work on the medicine wards after 2 weeks of glorious vacation. I had a chance to catch up on some much needed sleep, visit friends, hang out on the beach in South Carolina, and of course knit. I made a lot of progress on Flair and am hoping to have it done in the next few weeks. I also cast on and finished a scarf, which really satisfied my urge for a quick project.

Pattern: One Row Scaf by The Yarn Harlot
Yarn: Manos Del Uruguay Wildflowers
Needles: Denise Interchangeable 8
Start: September 2007
Finished: September 2007

I knit this scarf in less than a week from 1 skein of Manos that I had in my stash. I was worried that I wouldn't have enough yarn, but its a decent length scarf that's just long enough to wrap around my neck. Now I'm all I need is some chilly weather!

Mea Culpa

2007-09-12T11:21:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's been about 4 months since I last blogged! I don't have any good excuses to explain my absence. I mean, I have been really busy with work and life. So busy in fact, that I kind of lost my knitting mojo and my desire to blog. But now I'm back so no time for excuses. What have I been up to? Well...

As far as work goes I've started my last year of residency, praise the Lord! I'm also chief resident of my program so in addition to my regular grueling workload, I've taken on some administrative responsibilities. I know, what the hell was I thinking! And, I matched in an allergy/immunology fellowship so I finally know what I'm going to do when I grow up!

Outside of work, I've been continuing my sampling of great local restaurants, trying to develop a regular yoga practice, working to drop some pounds, and learning a lot about wine. See, more than enough stuff to keep me busy! Knitting kind of fell by the wayside, that is until I wandered onto Ravelry. OMG, that place is like a knitter's paradise. I actually got my invite almost a month ago, but didn't really start exploring the site until last week. I got my mojo back and have been inspired. My queue on Ravelry grows almost everyday. I have so many things that I want to knit, but I have to get through the collection of UFOs I currently have.

First up, is that second garter rib sock. Remember the case of second sock syndrome I came down with? It was really debilitating. I've been carrying that unfinished sock around with me on call, but I've never really worked on it.

It's at the top of my list of things to knit since it'd be really nice to have an actual pair of hand knitted socks to wear.

I've also started Flair. I'm knitting it in Blue Sky Alpaca Cotton in the colorway Shrimp. I love the swing of this sweater and can't wait til it's done. I'm already looking for some great buttons for it.

And, I needed quick, easy project to help my mojo, so on Sunday I started the One Row Scarf by the Yarn Harlot. I'm using the one skein of Manos del Uruguay in Wildflower that I had in my stash.

I'm hoping one skein will give me a decent length scarf. I love the colors in the scarf and the simple stitch pattern. Great for TV watching!

I'm headed to North Carolina this weekend to visit friends and hang out at the beach. Tons of time to get some progress done on my knitting!

Happy Festing!

2007-05-09T15:35:00.000-05:00

For the past few days, a lot of knit bloggers out there haven been recapping their weekend at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I love festivals of almost any kind and would have loved to have gone and kicked it with other knitters and yarn lovers, but my schedule and my pocketbook just wouldn’t have it. I'll just have to live vicariously through others this year. Instead, I spent the last two weekends hanging out at that other festival that goes on this time of year…

Yeah, there were no sheep, no yarn and no knitting, but there was great music, great food, tons of sun and plenty of alcohol. We second-lined with Irma Thomas, grooved with Jill Scott and John Legend, jammed with Stephen and Damien Marley and even danced a little Fais do-do. Loved it! There was music for just about every taste: jazz, blues, R&B, country, pop, latin, Cajun/zydeco , gospel and even some hip/hop.

Oh, and did I mention the food? Jazzfest is known for it's food as well as the great music. We gorged on soft shelled crab po boys, crawfish bread, mandarin orange tea, crawfish monica, and mango freeze. Yum!

Both weekends I left sweaty, tired, and stuffed. Chomping on boiled crawfish, throwing back cold beer, and partying with some of the best people in the world...what could be better?

Long time, no blog!

2007-04-27T22:31:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's been about 2 months since my last post. I've been so busy I just haven't had time to blog. I spent March suffering through the medicine ICU and call every third night. Bleh! I basically worked, slept, then worked some more. This month I've been busy with more interviews for fellowship and taking call on the pediatrics wards (I'm actually on call right now). Thankfully, I have time for some knitting. I've had a chance to finish some projects I started way back in February and cast-on some new projects I've been really wanting to knit. Ready for some finished objects?

Anthropologie Inspired Capelet
Pattern: Peony Knits
Yarn: Rowan Polar #646 Silver Lining
Needles: Boye Needlemaster Interchangeables size 11
Date Started: March 12, 2007
Date Completed April 22, 2007

This was super easy and the first garment I've knitted that I actually like. This was also my first time using the Boye needles and honestly, I can't stand them. I think that's one of the reasons it took me so long to finish this project. These needles were so uncomfortable and hard for me to work with; they actually hurt my wrist. Good thing I didn't pay a lot for them or I'd be so disappointed. I'm sticking with my Denise's and I just got the Options from Knitpicks which I love! I'll see if someone at my knitting group wants to give these a try.

Clutched
Pattern: Yarnplay by Lisa Shobhana Mason
Yarn: Peace Fleece Siberian Midnight colorway
Needles: Bamboo straights
Date Started: Feb 7, 2007
Date Completed: Feb 19, 2007

This color wasn't what I expected at first, but I liked it for once I started working with it. This was another pretty quick project to knit. It's knit with 2 strands of yarn held together, but I still felt that the fabric wasn't that stiff and it was a little floppier than what I wanted. I added lining and a stabilizer I found for fabric bags at my local fabric store and now it's perfect. I love the buttons! Cute, right?

I'll probably make another one (or two) of these in a brighter color. I can think of a couple of friends who'd love one.

Ugh, my pager's going off now so it's back to stomping out disease!

Feeling Blue

2007-02-12T16:39:00.000-06:00

This month, I'm the resident on the wards at one of the hospitals and have been pretty busy. My on-call nights have been kind of draining me. By luck of the draw, I’ve been getting all of the altered mental status patients; no fun at all. On top of that, my call schedule has me missing out on my favorite parades of the Carnival season. I already missed Krewe de Vieux and Barkus; this week I’ll miss Muses, a fun night parade with cool throws. And to make it even worse, I’m post-call on Mardi Gras! This is actually the first year that I’ve had to work on Fat Tuesday, so I guess I can’t really complain. When I first moved here it amazed me that Mardi Gras is a full on holiday. Holiday as in a day with no school, no work (for some), and no postal service!

I’ve also been interviewing for a fellowship position this month. I like having the opportunity to visit different programs, but interviewing with 7-8 different people in one day can be tough! Talking about my background, research, and career plans gets old after about the second or third time in one day. On a recent interview I was asked: If you could be any cell in the immune system, which type cell would you be? I chose to be a T-cell, which my interviewer admired. Per my friends (medical and non-medical), the fact that I even had an answer to this question makes me a big nerd. I’ve never been called a nerd (at least not to my face), but if it gets me a fellowship spot, hey I’m a nerd.

As for knitting, I've put down that second sock I was working on. I just can't look at it any more. I swear, the next pair of socks I knit will be done two at a time. Right now, I'm participating in Project Spectrum II. February and March are dedicated to blue, white and grey. These aren't colors I normally reach for, but one of the reasons I joined PS was to explore more colors with my knitting. I've really been inspired by the colors this month and raided my stash for some options. I'm really feeling all the various shades of blue...

My current project is Clutched, the cute handbag in YarnPlay. I'm using the recommended yarn Peace Fleece in the Siberian Midnight colorway, a pretty mix of midnight blue, blue, grey, and white flecks.

Love the color, love the texture! My photo doesn't really do it justice. It's coming along pretty quickly and I'm searching for some buttons to add to it.

One Sock Down, One to Go!

2007-01-18T11:01:00.000-06:00

Ready for a knitting update? Over the holidays I ploughed away at my first sock, the Garter Rib sock from Sensational Knitted Socks. I got through the heel with just some minor snags and started the foot:

Not as bad as I thought it would be. Yesterday I finished the foot and did my toe decreases, but got stuck at the dreaded kitchener stitch. I pulled out my reference books and tried to figure out how to do it, but was a little intimidated and distracted, so I put it away. After Stitch n Bitch last night, I was encouraged and focused to finish that sock. I came home looked at a video of the stitch and jumped in. The result?

Voila! One whole finished sock! Now, on to the next one. Unfortunately, I've already come down with some symptoms of Second Sock Syndrome and this is just my first pair of socks! I'm so eager to have a pair done (and move on to my next sock project) that I'm determined to finish that second sock. I plan to cast on tonight and I'll be working on it this weekend as I travel to North Carolina for a fellowship interview. Wish me luck!

WHO DAT? WHO DAT? WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS?!

2007-01-14T09:52:00.000-06:00

Yesterday day was All Saints Day in New Orleans: the showdown in the Superdome between the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles, the Saints second playoff game EVER in the 40 year history of the team. All around the city and particularly around the Dome, you would have thought it was Mardi Gras. Everyone decked in black and gold, brass bands, second-lines, beer and liquor aplenty, boiled crawfish, hot wings (appropriately renamed Eagles wings) and loyal Saints fans dancing in the streets. It was crazy and hella fun! And this was all BEFORE the game even started. Add a 27-24 victory on top of that! Yeah, baby, we’re riding high down here in the Big Easy! It was a dramatic game and my boy Deuce McAllister was UNSTOPPABLE! People have been sleeping on Deuce; everyone’s been all excited about Reggie Bush. Don’t get me wrong St. Reggie the Great is amazing, he’s a slick California boy. Deuce is a good ‘ole Mississippi raised, corn bread fed, Gulf Coast local. He played a great game last night. Now, they’re just 1 game away from the Super Bowl. Can you imagine what this city will be like if they go to the SUPER BOWL? It’s actually a possibility, Wow!

A lot of people may not get why the Saints are so important to those of us in New Orleans (or the Gulf coast for that matter). We’re 17 months out from the storm, but still so far from true recovery. Drive through the French Quarter or the Garden District and you’d probably forget that there was ever a thing called Katrina. But head out to East New Orleans where it’s like a ghost town with or down to Chalmette/St. Bernard Parish where FEMA trailers sit in front of houses that were completely underwater and you’re reminded of the grim reality of so many here. With a rising murder rate, useless local politicians, and being virtually ignored by the federal government, there’s almost little to smile about in New Orleans.

But thank God for the Saints. I know it’s just a football team and only a game, but that team is giving us just a little distraction from reality; a chance to celebrate and dance in the streets before heading home to a tiny trailer or back to Texas. And they’re bringing media attention to the city and giving the rest of the country a gentle reminder that everything is not back to normal in New Orleans. This article does a good job of further explaining what I’m trying to say and highlights my favorite player, DEUCE! This city is still no where near where it needs to be, but yesterday reminded me of the “old” New Orleans, a city where everyone black, white, rich, poor, young, and old can get together and just have a good time. It’s what makes New Orleans New Orleans. God Bless dem Saints!!!

Finished Object

2006-11-26T14:36:00.000-06:00

Pattern: Irish Hiking Scarf from www.helloyarn.com/irishhikingcarf.htm
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lambs Pride Worsted M190 Jaded dreams, 2 skeins
Needles: Size 8 bamboo
Started: 11/05
Completed: 11/06

This is my first cabled project and yeah, it took me a whole year to finish it. Cables seemed scary to me at first, but they're really easy. I looked in a couple of books and watched a video on cables on Knitting Help, before jumping into this scarf and the cables. I had no problems at all with this pattern and the yarn is nice, just a little scratchy.

Turkey Day!

2006-11-23T11:34:00.000-06:00

I wasn't able to go home this year for Thanksgiving. I'm not on call, but I am the jeopardy resident today; guess that means no drinking for me. I'll be having dinner with some fellow residents and friends who are also here for the holiday. It's going to be a traditional Southern Thanksgiving with fried turkey, cornbread dressing, and pecan pie. Yours truly will be bringing the collard greens and the sweet potato pie. And since we're in Louisiana we just have to have some gumbo as well! Sounds so good I can hardly wait! Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

You Are The Stuffing

You're complicated and complex, yet all your pieces fit together.
People miss you if you're gone - but they're not sure why.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

Weekend Wedding

2006-11-22T07:06:00.000-06:00

This past weekend I traveled to Virginia for the wedding of a really good friend. My friend is originally from Louisiana, but lost her home in Hurricane Katrina. Like many in the area, she went through such a hard time and her overall spirit seemed broken. She's now got a new life and a new home and I'm ecstatic for her! I've never seen her as happy and as beautiful as she was at her wedding, which was one of the most elegant weddings I've ever attended. I took tons of pictures, but the best picture of the night:

My friend, the ever-elegant bride, downing a dirty martini after the ceremony. A woman after my own heart!

Progress Report

2006-11-06T18:31:00.000-06:00

October was such a busy month for me: I was working on the pediatrics wards and in the pediatric ICU. The ICU is my least favorite rotation as a resident. Don't get me wrong, there's usually really ineresting cases with great pathology and complicated patients. I do enjoy the challenge. But at the same time it can be really draining physically and emotionally. I did manage to get some knitting done, just not a lot of updating on the blog. So I'll try to play catch up:

1. My first pair of socks. Yeah, so the diamond lace pattern along with the magic loop were both a little too much for me and my first sock ever. I ended up frogging the little bit of the cuff and leg that I'd done and started the Garter Rib Sock from Sensational Knitted Socks. I'm still on the leg portion, but its an easy enough pattern for me. I'm itching to get to the heel just to see if I can actually do it, since it seems to be the hardest part of a sock. I didn't meet my goal to knit a full pair of socks in October, but I've picked up a great book on sock knitting, gotten the magic loop technique down, and added a few skeins of sock yarn to my stash. I've spent so much time drooling over all the amazing yarns available on the web, its ridiculous. I've even preregistered for the exclusive Socks That Rock yarn club, though I've never even seen a skein in person. Am I becoming one of those sock obsessed knitters?

2. Irish Hiking Scarf. Yay! A finished object! It took me almost a year to knit this damn scarf. Mainly because it got so warm and muggy here that I put it down and couldn't even pull it out for months. Now it's done and blocking; I'll post pics later. It'll be perfect for the cold weather to come and I might even be able to pull it out at night later this week; it's been dipping to the 40's on some nights. I know that's nowhere near cold for some people, but for us it's cold. Not the coldest, but cold. This past weekend I had the chance to actually wear my clapotis that I finished this spring. I only needed it for the morning since it actually got pretty warm during the afternoon, but whatever! I was just glad to finally be able to wear it.

3. Green Gable. My Green Gable is actually brown and coming along a little slowly. I've just been so focused on learning to knit socks and finishing my scarf, that I just haven't devoted that much time to my Brown Gable.

Up next in my knitting queue is this cute and easy shrug I found from the Winter 04/05 edition of Family Circle Easy Knitting.

I'm using this yarn: Queensland Kathmandu Aran (aka Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed) in Jewel. I love the color, the tweediness, and can't wait to wear it! Stay tuned!

Cables, Cables, Everywhere

2006-10-14T16:12:00.000-05:00

I started the Irish Hiking Scarf, my first cable project almost a year ago. Cables seemed so intimidating at first, but I caught on pretty quickly with this project. As the weather warmed I just wasn't as motivated to finish it. I worked on it during slow call nights and even on a 4 hour drive to a wedding in the spring. But it still isn't finished. I don’t know why it’s taking me so long to complete this scarf, but I’m only about half way done. To motivate myself to finish, I joined the Fall Cable KAL. I’m really hoping to finish this scarf soon for several reasons:

1. It’s only really cold enough for a scarf here in New Orleans for maybe 2-3 months and if I don't hurry I may miss my only opportunity to actually wear this scarf

2. I promised myself I wouldn't start another cabled project until I finished this one. Next in line is a cute Margaret Nicole knockoff

3. I ultimately want to make a sexy cool, stylishly warm cabled sweater like Starsky. If a scarf is taking me this long, I better get started on a cabled sweater now and just maybe it’ll be done by Winter ’08!

Socktoberfest!

2006-10-06T16:27:00.000-05:00

I'm a brand new sock knitter, so I decided to join the great Socktoberfest 2006 to jumpstart my new sock knitting endeavor. At first, I lacked sock love. I just didn't get the fascination with knitting socks. I mean you spend time and money knitting something that goes on your feet! Not as practical as a scarf or impressive as a sweater. But with the hot, humid summer down here in New Orleans (its still 90 degrees now in October), I really wanted to keep up my knitting, but just couldn’t bear the thought of warm wooly scarves, hats, or sweaters. So…I decided it was time to learn to knit socks and here I am. I’ve just finished the cuff on my first sock.

Here are some more specifics on my sock history, that was asked by Lolly:

When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

I'm currently working on my first pair of socks. I’m teaching myself to knit socks using books and the internet.

What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?
I’m knitting the Diamond Lace Socks in some pretty Koigu, I picked up at my LYS.

What would you have done differently? Don't know yet!

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?
So far, the only sock yarn I've worked with is Koigu. I love the feel and the beautiful colorways; I stood in my LYS for a long time trying to choose the right colors. I'm working on building my sock yarn stash and have a list of yarns that I'm dying to get my hands on like Sundara, Schaeffer Anne, Lorna's Laces, and the infamous Socks that Rock.

Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
I have an irrational fear of DPNs so I'm doing my first pair of socks using the Magic loop method. I thought about trying 2 circs, but the ML just seemed less complicated since you only need 1 long needle.

Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)
Since it’s my first pair, I don't have a preference yet (and I’m not too sure of the difference). The socks that I'm working on now have a short row heel.

How many pairs have you made? 0

New York, New York!

2006-09-30T06:39:00.000-05:00

So, I just got back from a mini-vacation in NYC, my first trip ever to the Big Apple! I know, I know, it's pretty lame, that Im as old as I am and have traveled abroad, but have never been to New York. I just never had the time or the money, or travel buddies with time and money. I think NYC is awesome; so many interesting people, so much to see and do. I was only in the city for 3 days and there was so much I didn't have time to do! First I flew to Jersey with a friend of mine who's from there. We stayed with her family and did some major shopping for the first couple of days. Off Saks, Loehmans, Century21, Woodbury Commons Outlets...we did it all. I scored some cute blue suede shoes at a great price. I love a deal!

Friday we headed into the city to meet a friend of mine from med school and to see The Color Purple on Broadway. I absolutely loved this show! If you have not seen it, run right now to NYC. It alone is worth a trip to the city. I laughed, cried, clapped and sang along with the cast. Does it get any better than that?

We spent Saturday shopping in the world's largest Macy's, and sightseeing before heading down to Chinatown on a search for imitation designer bags. Apparantly NYPD has been cracking down on street vendors selling fake Louis Vuittons and Prada bags because no one wanted to show us the "goods" out in public. We ended up being approached by some lady on the street who had a man escort us to a locked room in the basement of some shop where a girl sold us some pretty good knockoffs. I felt like were buying drugs or involved in some money laundering ring (not that I've ever bought drugs or laundered money). It was CRAZY! Sometimes its tough being a diva on a budget.

I didn't get to visit any of the great yarn shops in NYC. I went with non-knitting friends and was easily out voted. I also didn't get a lot of knitting done on this trip even though I brough 2 WIPs with me. I had a great time though and can't wait to go back!

Welcome!

2006-09-17T14:59:00.000-05:00

Welcome to A Little Lagniappe!

Hey y'all! This is the very first post on my first ever blog. Exciting! I'm still figuring all of this out so bear with me!

So, a little about me: I'm a 30 year old physician from Georgia in my 3rd year of residency training. I moved to New Orleans a little over 2 years ago for my residency in combined internal medicine and pediatrics. I've been knitting for about 2-3 years. I taught myself to knit during my last year of med school; knit off and on throughout my busy intern year, and then threw myself into again while evacuated for Katrina.

This blog will all about my adventures in knitting, medicine, post-Katrina New Orleans and whatever else I come up with. Stay tuned for more!